A Remix of Our Lives
by The Lady Arturia
Summary: A small, fluffy collection of short drabbles/one-shots on various occasions in the lives of Teddy Lupin and James Potter. So let's take a peek into the lives of Teddy and James, and their escapades. Written for the Battleships challenge on Diagon Alley II.
1. First Encounter

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognise belongs to our Queen, JKR. Everything else is mine.**

* * *

 **Remix #1: The First Encounter**

 **The Day It All Began**

* * *

"Teddy, this is your little brother, Jamie."

He peered at the squishy pink baby in his Uncle Harry's arms. The baby squirmed and made a noise that sounded like a little bird.

"What do you think, Teddy?" his Auntie Ginny asked. "Do you like your new baby brother?"

Teddy frowned and crossed his arms as he stared intently at the infant. It was too pink. And too little. And too wrinkly.

"His mouth looks like a fish," Teddy finally declared.

Uncle Harry and Auntie Ginny exchanged looks and burst out laughing. His uncle scooted closer so Teddy could get a better look at the baby—not that he could see much of him anyway, he was all wrapped up and looked like the jam rolls his grandma sometimes made him.

"That's because he's a new-born baby," Auntie Ginny explained, wrapping her arms around Teddy. "All new-born babies are like that."

Teddy wasn't very convinced, though. He'd seen Victoire when she was a baby and she looked round and fluffy, and she was always smiling and giggling.

When he told his auntie the same, she chuckled and said, "That's because Victoire was about four months old when you saw her, Teddy. Jamie's only a couple weeks old."

"Not even a month?" Teddy asked, watching curiously as the baby started waving its little fists and making weird faces.

"Nope, not even a month," Uncle Harry said. "Do you want to try holding him?"

Teddy moved back and pressed himself into his auntie's embrace. He glanced at the baby and frowned.

"I'll break him," he said, and Uncle Harry grinned.

"You won't. Come on, hold your arms out."

Auntie Ginny sat him down, positioning his arms in a weird way.

"Alright, you have to hold him very gently," she said as Uncle Harry carefully placed the baby in Teddy's arms. "Here, support his head like this." She placed her hand below Teddy's and held up the baby's head.

"He's so soft and squishy," Teddy mumbled, staring at the infant.

"That's because his bones are only starting to grow," Uncle Harry told him. "His head's the softest because his skull still hasn't formed yet. That's why you have to be very careful while holding him or he could get hurt."

"His skull?"

"You know the thing that makes your head hard?"

"Yeah?"

"That one."

"It's not formed yet?"

"Nope, not yet."

"When will it be formed?"

"As he grows, it'll grow too."

"He'll get bigger?"

"Yup, he will. In a few years, he'll be as big as you are now."

Teddy stared up at his uncle wide-eyed. This little fellow was going to grow as big as Teddy? That wasn't possible. He was so _tiny._

"How?" he demanded, staring at the baby. "His hand is only as big as my pinky. See?" he placed his pinky beside the baby's hand, and, to Teddy's surprise, he grabbed it.

Eyes wide, he tried to carefully pull his pinky out of the baby's grasp, but he was holding on so tight.

"He's strong," Teddy whispered, staring at the little bundle in his arms with a new light.

"And he'll only get stronger," his auntie told him. "So when he gets big enough, will you come play with him?"

"Me?" Teddy asked, looking from one adult to the other. "I can play with him?"

"Of course you can! He's _your_ baby brother!" Uncle Harry said, ruffling Teddy's hair.

"My baby brother," Teddy whispered, feeling his cheeks get hot. He pulled the baby close to him and asked softly, "Can I keep him?"

"You can't keep him, sweetheart, but you can come see him whenever you want to. He'll always be here," his auntie told him gently.

"Promise?" Teddy asked, and Uncle Harry pointed at the baby's fist that was still holding Teddy's pinky.

"Doesn't seem like Jamie wants to let his big brother go, either."

Teddy felt a swell of pride as the tiny boy opened his eyes and stared at him. "Jamie," he said softly, and Jamie smiled, making a little cooing sound.

"See? He knows you're his big brother already!" Auntie Ginny said, pressing a kiss to Teddy's hair.

"I like him!" Teddy said happily, leaning down and nuzzling his nose with Jamie's. "Hi, Jamie, I'm your big brother Teddy! And I'm going to play with you forever! OK?"

Jamie stared up at Teddy and blinked slowly, and Teddy grinned. This was his new baby brother. _His_ little brother. Whenever he'd asked his grandma why he didn't have a Mummy or Daddy or little brothers and sisters like all the other kids he went to preschool with, she'd always looked sad and told him that they'd gone far away, but Teddy had Uncle Harry and Auntie Ginny. And Uncle Harry had promised Teddy that he would be getting lots of little brothers and sisters, and he finally had!

"My Jamie," he whispered, watching the baby in his arms for a long time. After a while, he finally let Uncle Harry take Jamie away from him.

"Can I stay for a little while longer?" he asked as they walked to Jamie's nursery and Auntie Ginny put him in his crib.

"Of course you can," Uncle Harry said, patting Teddy's head.

"Can I bring my toys and show Jamie them?" Teddy asked, excited, and Uncle Harry smiled.

"Yeah, but you have to be careful not to hurt him because he's still very little, OK?"

Teddy nodded and ran out of the room, deciding that he would get his sandbag shape-shifter and his moulding blocks. Jamie would like those. Maybe his grandma would even let him get his Wizard Hero toys the next time he came over so he could introduce them to Jamie.

He couldn't _wait_ for Jamie to get bigger so he could show him all his toys and teach him all sorts of things! Little brothers were _so_ exciting!

* * *

 **A/n: Hello! I'm back with a little collection written for the Battleships challenge hosted by Diagon Alley II [link in my profile]. This collection is going to contain ten little drabbles/one-shots centred around the ship Remix (Teddy and James) written with ten separate prompts that are important events in their life. I'm going to try and keep this light and not angsty, because I've had a little too much of that lately, so let's hope it turns out as I want it to!**

 **This first one is about their First Encounter.**

 **Thoughts and concrit is always welcome! Reviews are beloved, as always, so don't forget to leave some of those!**

 **Lots of love~**

 **Arty.**


	2. First Date

**Remix #2: The First Date**

 **A Date in Diagon**

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"OK, Mister Grumpy Pants. What's got your knickers in a bunch?"

Teddy bit back a smile as James huffed and turned away. He held out the biscuit he'd bought James in an attempt to lighten the five-year-old's mood, but James simply scrutinised the biscuit for a long minute before looking away.

Frowning slightly, Teddy asked, "Do you not like it here? Shall we go some place else?"

James shook his head and crossed his arms, sticking his lower lip out and pouting. He looked adorable, but Teddy knew that saying so would only worsen the situation, so he quietly watched the boy fume.

Aunt Ginny and Aunt Hermione had decided to bring the kids to Diagon Alley that day for a little change of pace, and Uncle Harry had asked Teddy to tag along to help keep an eye on the five toddlers. He'd agreed without hesitation—it was his first summer back from Hogwarts and staying at home all day long, helping his grandma de-weed, was driving him mad.

The mothers had taken them to the new kids' clothing store that had opened up, and James had gotten bored in less than ten minutes. The moment he started to whine, Aunt Ginny had given Teddy two galleons and sent them off, clearly unwilling to deal with her son's tantrum. So they were now waiting for the ice cream Teddy had ordered with the hope of placating James.

"Jamie," Teddy tried again, reaching over and ruffling the boy's hair when he didn't respond. James cried out and swatted Teddy's hands away, glaring at him.

"OK, fine. Keep sulking and I'm going to eat the biscuit myself," Teddy said, pretending like he was going to eat the biscuit. He thought that would at least elicit some sort of reaction from the younger boy, but to his surprise, James didn't even blink.

He was seriously sulking.

Teddy sighed. James was adamant, especially when he was moping, and wouldn't let whatever was bothering him go for ages. He really was a little brat. Harry spoiled him too much.

"Mm, this is _so_ good," Teddy said, making exaggerated sounds of appreciation as he carefully bit into the biscuit, making sure not to eat too much. James' eyes widened in the slightest and the toddler stared at Teddy with an expression of betrayal.

Teddy rolled his eyes. "So, will you tell me why you're pouting, or shall I tell the nice wizard that you don't want your ice cream?"

James huffed and scrunched up his shoulders stubbornly, and Teddy raised his hand. "Excuse me, Sir, we don't need that ice cream—"

"No!"

Mentally applauding himself, he hid his triumphant smile and looked at James curiously. "Why not? You're too busy sulking, aren't you?"

"I'm not sulking! I want my ice cream!"

Teddy grinned and made a show of taking back what he said. "Alright, your ice cream's on its way."

James eyed Teddy suspiciously, but nodded anyway.

"So, will you tell me _now_ why you're so mad?"

James stared at him for a long moment, fiddling with his shirt, and finally said, "I don't wanna eat ice cream with you."

Surprised, Teddy eyed the boy, trying to figure out where this was coming from. Had he done something to upset James? Surely not, James _adored_ him, after all, and the feeling was mutual.

"Why not?" he finally asked, unable to comprehend the workings of a five-year-old's mind.

James looked uncomfortable and Teddy instantly recognised his embarrassment by the way the tips of his ears went red. Was James _embarrassed_ to be with Teddy?

Starting to panic a little, Teddy leaned towards James and smiled reassuringly. "You can tell me, Jamie, I won't get mad."

"Promise?" James asked in a small voice, and Teddy nodded.

"Promise."

James stared at his hands for a moment before mumbling, "Vicky said when two people who aren't related eat ice cream out together, it's called a _date._ "

Teddy blinked, trying to process what James had just said. "What?" he finally asked, and James looked up, his brows creasing together in a frown.

"Isn't this a _date?"_

Staring at the serious expression on James' face, and unable to control his laughter, he burst out, causing James to flush and look madder than ever.

"Jamie," Teddy finally managed after a good minute of laughing. "Do you even _know_ what a date is?"

The five-year-old nodded stubbornly, puffing his cheeks. "I do! Vicky _told_ me!"

Trying hard not to roll his eyes, Teddy said, "Jamie, Vicky isn't even old enough to know what it is, so I'm quite sure whatever she told you isn't exactly right."

"But Vicky said so! She exclaimed it to me and Lou!"

 _You don't even know the difference between explained and exclaimed, and you expect me to believe you know what a date is…_

Laughing internally, he tried to keep a straight face as he said, "Well, brothers can't go on a date, and you're my little brother, right?"

James seemed to consider that for a moment and then slowly asked, "We can't?"

"Nope."

"Oh…" He looked disappointed, for some reason, and Teddy sighed.

"Jamie, do you _want_ this to be a date?"

James started to shake his head, but then began to nod, and it looked like he was doing some weird neck exercise.

"Do _you_?" the boy asked, and Teddy smiled awkwardly. What exactly was he supposed to say? He couldn't tell whether James was mad about it being a date or if he would be mad if Teddy said they couldn't go on a date.

 _Five-year-olds are so complicated._

"I guess?"

"But we're brothers, right?"

"Mm, but, you know, Jamie—I don't know what Vicky told you, but it's called a date when two people who like each other very much go out and spend time together."

"Eating ice cream?"

Teddy nodded slowly. "OK, sure, eating ice cream."

James seemed to be lost in thought for a long moment until he finally said, "I like Teddy a lot!"

Teddy smiled. "I like Jamie a lot, too."

"So it's a date?"

Teddy grinned. "Yup, it's a date!"

James gave him a jubilant smile, and a moment later, seemed to completely forget their conversation in favour of the large ice creams that the wizard Levitated towards them. Teddy thanked him and turned to watch James eat his ice cream, glad that the toddler had forgotten about their so-called date, for the time being.

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 **A/n: Here's drabble number two! The theme for this was their first date, and I decided that I was going to have them grow up through the course of these stories, so here's how their first date went!**

 **Lots of love~**

 **Arty.**


	3. First Kiss

**Remix #3: First Kiss**

 **Bet on It**

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"Have you ever snogged someone?"

Teddy spluttered and nearly spat out the pumpkin juice he was drinking. He stared at James with his mouth hanging open.

"Wh-What?" he blustered when James continued to eye him expectantly.

"Have you _snogged_ someone? Should I explain what _snogging_ means?"

"No! No." Teddy waved his arms hurriedly. The last thing he needed was a lesson on kissing from an eleven-year-old. "Why do you want to know?"

James shrugged and looked away, seeming nonchalant. Something about this whole situation was highly suspicious to Teddy. He looked around at the Weasley cousins sprawled across the grass and noticed how, every now and then, one or the other would glance towards Teddy and James and then whisper to the rest.

Teddy frowned. "Did one of them put you up to this? Did Victoire ask you to ask me?"

"Not everything's about _you,_ you know."

Teddy flushed. "I… don't understand," he finally admitted, earning an eye-roll from the younger boy.

"It's a yes-or-no question, Teddy! Have you snogged someone before or not?"

"What does it matter if I have?"

"So you have?"

"No!"

"So you haven't?"

"…No?"

James pursed his lips and crossed his arms, and Teddy felt like he was being reprimanded for being an idiot. He sure felt like one, at the moment. "Tell me why you're asking, and I'll tell you whether I have or haven't."

James didn't look too sure about the offer and glanced towards the others.

 _I knew it! Those brats put him up to this!_

"Jamie, you can't keep letting them bully you into doing these things," he began, but James made a frustrated noise and turned towards Teddy.

"You're worrying about all the wrong things." James looked towards his cousins again and said hurriedly, "Anyway, have you or haven't you?"

"Jamie—"

" _Stop_ calling me Jamie! I'm not a little kid anymore!"

James looked agitated, and Teddy had a feeling something was happening amongst the cousins—who now had their heads together and were in serious discussion. This lot had _no_ idea on how to be subtle. It was almost funny.

He frowned at them and turned back to James. The boy immediately pretended like he hadn't been making wild gestures towards his cousins and looked at Teddy with an expression of innocence.

 _I swear, this lot'll be the end of me._

"I may have," he finally sighed, and James perked up. "Or I may not have. Why do I have to tell _you_ what I do in my free time?"

Teddy raised his eyebrows as the tips of James' ears went red. _If you're so embarrassed about finding out, then don't ask._

"Well… actually…" James glanced his cousins' way again and said, "There's this girl I like and I want to kiss her, but I don't know how."

Although Teddy knew it was a prank of some sort, his instant reaction to hearing his little Jamie say he wanted to _kiss a girl_ was to grab the boy by the shoulders and go, "Absolutely not."

James looked bewildered. "What?"

"No! I will not allow it! You can't be kissing _anybody,_ not at your age!" Then he looked over his shoulder and yelled, "And shame on you lot for putting him up to this!"

There was a combination of groans and giggles from the group, and Teddy turned to face James. "Look, you're too little to be thinking of such things, so let me go up to them and—"

"No!"

"Jamie—"

" _Stop calling me Jamie!"_

Teddy frowned as James glared at him. Why was this so important to him? It had been over a decade since he'd known James, and he was yet to figure out how the boy's mind worked. He was clueless about the situation he was in, and he wasn't sure exactly what James expected from him. Steeling himself, he finally decided to give the boy what he had asked for.

"Fine, I have. Kissed someone, I mean," he lied. He'd never actually properly snogged a girl before, even if he'd been on dates, because he thought that was something you did when you were serious about the person. Not that he was ever going to tell James that. "Are you happy, now?"

James nodded, but didn't look too happy. Teddy was about to say something, when Victoire called his name. He looked at her curiously, not believing the innocent smile on her face for one moment. They were up to something, and Teddy was their target. Unfortunately for them, though, he didn't plan on letting them have their way.

Or at least that had been the intention with which he turned back to James, so what happened next completely threw him off guard.

James leaned forwards, grabbed Teddy's shirt in one hand, came really close, and _kissed him._

Well, it was more of an accidental brush-of-lips than a kiss, but Teddy was frozen to the spot all the same, staring ahead in shock. James, meanwhile, had run off to his cousins, jubilantly exclaiming that he'd won.

Teddy slowly looked over his shoulder, unable to stop his appearance from changing, and watched as the boys whooped and cheered while the girls muttered amongst themselves.

Finally, a very proud James stuck his hand out and demanded for something, and a very cross Victoire placed that something in his palm. The boys cheered some more, and Teddy caught James' eye. He ran up to him, and Teddy expected he'd get an apology of some sort, but James simply held up a galleon and went, "Thanks, Teddy!"

Eyes wide, realisation slowly sinking in, he looked at Victoire and the gang and went, "Did you _bet on me?"_

The group looked at each other guiltily, and just as James was about to run back to them, Teddy grabbed his arm and snapped, "Where's my apology?"

James blinked, a look of innocence on his face, and said slowly, "Well, that was my first kiss, so… I think we're even."

Teddy stared. James grinned. "Thanks again, Teddy! I knew I could count on you!"

He heard Louis and Fred say something about the girls treating the boys to cake, and Dominique and Molly immediately refused, but the only thing he could think of was the fact that James' first kiss had been with _him._

Taking his head in his hands, he saw himself writing a lengthy apology letter to Harry, promising him that he would take full responsibility for what had happened, when Victoire said loudly, "I think _Teddy_ should treat us all for being such a pansy."

Teddy was on his feet in an instant, and the others shrieked and took off as he yelled, " _Come back here you damn brats!"_

That had been _his_ first kiss, too, damn it!

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 **A/n: I started writing this thinking it would turn out horrible, but it ended on a funny note and now I can't stop laughing. Poor Teddy xD**

 **Well, that's their first kiss!**

 **Reviews are loved and treasured and I'm greedy when it comes to them, so no holds barred!**

 **Lots of love~**

 **Arty.**


	4. Meeting The Parents

**Remix #4: Meeting The Parents**

 **Moving In**

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"Is that all of it?"

Teddy looked around at the dozen-or-so boxes and then at James. The seventeen-year-old was currently fiddling with one of the larger boxes, a look of concentration on his face.

"You want help with that?" Teddy walked up to James and squatted down beside him, watching as the brunet carefully extricated a very large, rectangular thing covered in bubble wrap. "What is it?"

James simply grinned and stood up, making his way to the coffee table. He carefully place the object on the glass top and began to remove the wrapping.

"James… that better not be what I think it is," Teddy said as he spotted a sleek, black edge.

"Ta-da!" James exclaimed as he carefully pulled off the wrapping to reveal a rather large, flat-screen Muggle TV. Teddy groaned.

"James you are _not_ installing that thing in my flat! You know Muggle stuff goes bonkers around magic! I don't want to wake up to a huge explosion and find a hole where my wall had been!"

"Calm down, nothing of that sort's gonna happen."

"And how would you know that?"

"Because it's battery operated. Mum said the same thing as you when we first bought it and it turned out perfectly fine! Dad was rather upset to part ways with it, though."

"Maybe it's better off with him, then—"

"Stop being such a killjoy and help me Levitate it to my room. I'll even put a Muffling Charm on the door just so your highness won't be disturbed. Alright?"

Teddy rolled his eyes, but relented with a grumble. Pulling his wand out of the back pocket of his pants, he carefully Levitated the TV out the door and to the room down the hall that James would now be staying in.

"Just put it on the floor, there. I'll move it later."

"You better not be spending all of your time on that thing," Teddy said sternly as James switched on the TV and gazed at it with a fond expression. "I read somewhere that it kills your brain cells."

"Then more than half the Muggles in the world would be dead, Teddy," James replied with a snort. When Teddy gave him a pointed look, he nodded and said, "Fine. I promise not to allow my brain cells to die."

"Good. Do you want me to get the rest of your things in here or will you do it yourself?"

"I'll do it later. Planning on taking a bath, first."

"Alright."

Teddy left James alone to meddle with his gadget and walked to the kitchen. He made himself a cup of tea and relaxed on the sofa.

James had suddenly upped and decided to move in with Teddy the moment he was done at Hogwarts, and Harry had barely taken half a moment to agree to it. Teddy had been living with the Potters for a year when he'd been studying for the Auror exam, but when he didn't get in on his first try, he'd moved out and got his own place. And now that Ginny kept pestering James to start thinking of what he wanted to do next, he had decided that he would live with Teddy until he made a decision.

Not that Teddy minded. Him and Victoire had been fighting a lot again and she was spending the summer in Paris with her aunt, training in apparel design, so the company would do him good. Besides, he'd barely spent much time with James after he'd moved out of the Potters', and he planned on making good use of this opportunity to catch up on everything he'd missed in the boy's life. He wasn't used to not knowing what was going on with James.

He sighed and closed his eyes as he finished the last of his tea. There was the sound of a door closing and the familiar scent of James' hair wax.

"Hey."

Teddy looked up as James padded into the room, clad in nothing but a towel hanging low from around his waist, busy styling his hair.

"You look ready to head out," Teddy commented as James rummaged through the boxes.

"What? Yeah. I'm going to meet Lauren."

Teddy felt a pang in his chest at that. So the first thing he did after moving in was going out to meet his girlfriend?

"Oh."

James looked up with a curious expression. "Why? Did you have something planned?"

Teddy shrugged. "Not really. I thought I could help you unpack and settle in, and you could tell me about seventh year at Hogwarts and everything. I haven't seen you in a while, after all."

James had a thoughtful expression on her face. "Well… I did say I would meet her, though."

"Yeah, no, it's fine. I didn't think the two of you were still together."

"Why not?"

Teddy shrugged again. "Didn't think you were that serious."

"We are pretty serious." The expression on James' face was tender and affectionate and nothing Teddy had ever seen before. It made him slightly resentful.

"That's good to hear. Well, you go have fun! Will you be back for dinner?"

"Probably. I'll call you. Ah, here it is."

He watched as James pulled out his clothes and strode out of the room, humming a little cheery tune, leaving Teddy with an odd sense of abandonment.

-oOo-

"Teddy?"

He cracked his eyes open and sighed at the sour taste in his mouth. He must've fallen asleep while reading.

"Teddy? You alright?"

"'M fine," he mumbled, pushing himself off the sofa and cracking his neck. "When did you get back?"

"About ten minutes ago. Did I wake you?"

"Maybe. What've you got there?" Teddy asked, motioning to whatever James was holding.

"I found these under the mattress in my room." He held up an old, battered album. "Why're you hiding old pictures under the mattress?"

"Why're you looking under the mattress?" Teddy countered as he snatched the album and squinted at it. He recognised it immediately. It was the one that his grandmother had given him for his eleventh birthday. It had pictures of his parents, his grandfather, him and his parents, and collages she'd made of him through the years.

"Is that…?"

"That's my mum," Teddy said softly as he pointed at the laughing woman with bubblegum hair. He then pointed to the man she was hugging. "And that's my dad."

"I see where you got your hair from." James grinned and bumped Teddy's shoulder. Teddy laughed.

"Yeah."

They flipped through the old album and Teddy narrated the story attached to each of the pictures to James. They brought back bittersweet memories, and it made him oddly pleased to see James listening with rapt attention. Once they were done, they sat in silence for a long moment before Teddy decided it was enough brooding for one day.

"Anyway, enough about me. How was your date?"

James shrugged. Teddy frowned. "What happened? Did you fight?"

"More than a fight… we broke up. Or actually, I got dumped."

James raked his fingers through his styled hair and then ruffled it with all his might. He looked at Teddy with a wry smile, his hair poking out in every which way, and Teddy smiled back sympathetically. For James to ruin turn his perfect hair into the unruly mess it always was… he must've really liked this girl.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

James stared at his hands with a blank expression and then opened his mouth. Teddy waited for him to begin his sorrowful tale, but the only thing James said was:

"Do you have food? I'm starving."

Teddy watched as James stood up, walked to the cupboard, and began rummaging through them. He quelled the weird sense of satisfaction he felt as he said, "The one on the left. There should be some chips."

James grabbed the pack and exclaimed in surprise. "I love these!"

"They're all yours," Teddy said as he Summoned a bottle of Firewhiskey. "And so is this."

"Oh, wait till Mum hears about this," James said with a grin as he placed two glasses on the table and flopped back on the sofa.

"You better pray she doesn't find out or don't bother unpacking."

James laughed as he poured the Firewhiskey and handed a glass to Teddy. Teddy raised his glass in toast and said, "Cheers to new beginnings."

James crinkled his nose. "Cheers to moving in with Old-Man-Teddy."

* * *

 **A/n: Finally had time to get around to this!**

 **This was rather haphazard, but whatever.**

 **Also, since I got a review calling this incest, I thought I would clarify- Teddy and James are NOT related, so if they were going to be in a relationship, it doesn't necessarily classify as incest. This is going to be platonic for as much as possible since I really like them as having a very strong platonic relationship.**

 **Again, don't like, don't read, don't hate. Nobody's forcing you. Thanks!**

 **Lots of love~**

 **Arty.**


	5. Wedding

**Remix #5: Wedding**

 **Accidentally for Real**

* * *

"Grandma, don't you think you've had a little too much to drink?"

Teddy watched as Rose tried to distract her grandmother so Lucy could steal the glass from the Weasley Matriarch's hand.

"What's a witch gotta do for some fun 'round here?" Molly slurred as Rose led her to the sofa and helped her sit down.

"She's having a little _too_ much fun."

Teddy glanced sideways at Albus and grinned at the conflicted expression on his face. It was quite clear that he wanted to join his cousins in their drunken escapades but wasn't sure if it was such a good idea.

"And you're not having enough." James grinned as he flung his arms on their shoulders and swayed back and forth.

"You're one to talk," Teddy scoffed as he put an arm around James' waist to steady him. The twenty-two-year-old guffawed as he downed his drink and tapped the glass against his brother's cheek. Albus took it with a sigh, extricated himself from James' hold, and shot Teddy an apologetic smile.

"I'll leave my brother in your capable hands."

"Wait, Al!" Teddy watched as Albus disappeared out the door, leaving him to handle a wasted James. He sighed as he helped the brunet to the sofa and sat him down beside his grandmother.

"Oh, look! If it isn't little Jamie!" Molly exclaimed and pulled James into a painful-looking hug. James groaned and struggled to escape.

"Grandma," Rose said helplessly, and Teddy tapped her on the shoulder.

"Go on out, I'll take care of them."

"Oh, I couldn't—"

"I insist. Besides, your grandpa might need your help more." Teddy gestured to where Louis and Roxanne were trying to convince Arthur to drink straight from the bottle.

Rose looked conflicted but finally relented and left, pausing at the door to throw a cursory glance over her shoulder before disappearing out.

Meanwhile, James had managed to escape his grandmother's death-lock as well as procure two more glasses of Firewhiskey. Teddy managed to grab the glasses just in time, before the two reached for them. The duo looked outraged, and James was leaning towards him, and in the heat of the moment, Teddy downed both the glasses in order to keep both grandmother and grandson from drinking any more. He instantly regretted it when he saw the expression on James and Molly's faces.

James grinned. Molly clapped her hands delightedly. Teddy groaned.

-oOo-

"That's why I'm telling you," Molly said as she put her arms around the boys' shoulders and pulled them close. "If you don't do it now, it'll be too late."

"It's already too late," James whispered, threw his head back, and roared with laughter.

Teddy pulled away from the two and finished his drink. "And I'm telling you," he slurred, "that I'm still too young to let myself be tied down by marriage!"

"Too young, he says! Even though he's a hop, skip and jump away from being a middle-aged man!"

"I'm only twenty-eight!" Teddy replied defiantly, pointing an accusing finger at Molly.

"And you're not getting any younger!" she retorted, smacking his hand away.

Teddy got to his feet with a grunt and crossed his arms. "Fine, then. If you find me someone I approve off, I'll marry them."

"Fine, then!"

"I have very high standards, I'll have you know!"

"High standards, my foot! As if I'd ever let you marry just any old thing!" Molly looked around for a moment and then struggled to her feet, using James' face for support. She then grabbed James by the wrist, forced him up, pushed him towards Teddy, made them hold hands, and went, "There! The perfect match!"

James stared at Teddy for a moment, and then slowly broke into a grin.

"So? What, you don't think I'm good enough for you, your highness?" James waggled his eyebrows and flipped his imaginary hair over his shoulder.

Teddy laughed, swayed to the side, and then grabbed on to James for balance. "I feel… dizzy."

James frowned. "Why don't you sit down?"

Teddy nodded and plopped down on the floor cross-legged, feeling a head-rush from having moved too fast.

"Easy, there," James said, holding Teddy's wrist to support him. Teddy breathed deeply, trying to get his vision to focus, when Molly shouted loudly.

"Everyone, come watch! Teddy's proposing to Jamie! They're getting married!"

There were loud exclamations from over the music blaring from outside, and all the cousins—and Arthur—began to troop in, hollering unintelligible things.

James was yelling back saying something about it being one of Molly's practical jokes, but everyone was already surrounding them and cheering them on. Teddy pressed a hand to his mouth and inhaled through his nose, focusing all his senses on not being sick. James leaned down, probably to ask if Teddy was OK, but everyone was screaming and shouting, and it was impossible to make out what James was saying. Teddy motioned for James to pull him up, and James reached out to do so, but the circle around them was dangerously unsteady, and someone ended up pushing James.

The two went sprawling across the floor along with whoever was behind them, and Teddy groaned as he rolled off Fred and tried to push James off of him.

"James—heavy—"

"You're not doing it right!" Molly was screeching even as Arthur and Albus tried to hold her back. "Here, I'll show you!"

She grabbed them by the back of their necks and brought their faces together, probably intending for them to kiss, but, instead, because of their awkward positions on the ground, Teddy's forehead smashed into James' nose. James shouted out and clutched his bloody nose, rolling off Teddy and lying on his side. Someone had taken Molly away from them, thankfully, and Teddy leaned over James to inspect the damage.

"Let me see," he said, pulling James' hands away, and winced as he caught sight of the damage. "We should put some ice on it."

"'M fine," James said gruffly, but let Teddy pull him up anyway. Teddy picked an empty glass off the table, took the ice from it, and pressed it against James' nose. He leaned closer to get a better look, and James closed the distance between them and pecked him on the lips.

Teddy jerked back, startled, but James only grinned. "What, didn't you hear them say that you could kiss the bride?"

"Seriously, James." Teddy positioned James' head so he was looking at the ceiling and made sure his appearance hadn't changed. James' impulsiveness always took him off guard.

"Dad will be _thrilled_ when he hears we're married." James laughed nasally, and Teddy rolled his eyes.

"Not as thrilled as I am, I'm sure."

James grinned. "Congrats on getting married, mate."

Teddy scoffed. "Congrats on getting a nosebleed instead of a kiss, mate."

"I can always get another kiss," James replied easily and winked.

Teddy snorted. "Next you'll be demanding kids."


End file.
